What began as a personal challenge for Sonya to make 100 dresses in a year, soon developed into a deeper exploration comparing making versus manufacturing. The purpose became not only to present the product of a year's labor, but to also expose the process, and in turn educate the audience.

The project is now in its second year and while the dress making is continuing, Sonya is also exploring different sources of materials, from reused sweaters to reclaimed fabrics otherwise destined for the landfill. In addition she is teaching hands-on affordable workshops in the San Francisco area, hoping to instill a love and awareness for home made and altered clothing to more people, who in turn can engage others and share their knowledge. A true movement in the making!

One of the most important things about this project is how it demonstrates that sewing and making clothes does't need to be complicated or time consuming. Although Sonya works with several dress patterns, most of them are really simple and manageable. Many of the dresses consist of just a few seams and a hem.

"100 acts of sewing" is only one of several creative projects Sonya Philip has launched in recent years. She is a self-taught artist who practices what she calls "conceptual craft." One of my favorites is the series called "ordinary objects" where she by applying knitting to the surfaces, brings the most mundane of mass-produced objects to life. More examples of her beautiful art can be found at www.sonyaphilip.com.